Below are some key points from our Week 2 discussion about community and collaboration (as well as some of my own that I added). Feel free to add to the list!
Importance and Benefits of community and collaboration:
Provides opportunities for reflection and feedback
Helps to hold others accountable
Allows each other to see the human side of online learning
Accomplish shared goals
Promotes camaraderie
Allow participants to feel comfortable communicating openly and asking questions
More reserved students tend to “speak up”
More time for thoughtful posts
Promotes a positive environment conducive for learning
Feedback reinforces further communication and deepens understanding
Support constructive inquiry; challenge others' ideas
Big tasks can be more manageable; each person can have tasks and roles, utilizing other group members' strengths
Learning is more influenced because we are in a social setting
Promote engagement with materials; active, not passive learning
Once a safe community is built, participants become more comfortable responding to others, questioning, and even disagreeing with other members of the community.
Collaboration contributes to learning and understanding of content
Use of collaborative Web 2.0 tools such as wikis or blogs contribute to collective understanding and knowledge building through exchange of ideas and unique perspectives
Promotes honesty and trust; people more likely to be open and take risks
Importance and Benefits of community and collaboration: